


A Voice of Dreams

by chenziee



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chopper is getting spoiled, Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, Law isn't getting paid enough for this, Nightmares, Robin is best big sis with best voice, Zoro is best big bro, this was supposed to be like 900 words, whoops?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26529973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chenziee/pseuds/chenziee
Summary: One night of nightmares and a few sentences read out loud. That was enough for the Straw Hats to fall into a new, nightly routine of reading and cuddles.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 84





	A Voice of Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on _[ask-sakky-bear's](https://ask-sakky-bear.tumblr.com/)_ perfect [**headcanon!**](https://chenziee.tumblr.com/post/629618128433905664/hands-down-id-deck-that-fucking-deranged) It was just too cute to _not_ write <3

Zoro had always been a light sleeper. Being a swordsman, a bounty hunter, then a pirate, he was ready to defend his crew against attacks at all times and he was proud of it. It wasn’t always ideal as sometimes he would get no sleep during the night and then keep dozing off during the day, but he gladly accepted it if it meant being able to protect his friends.

And so, when Chopper jerked awake with a gasp one night, Zoro was alert immediately as well. He was about to ask what was wrong but seeing how Chopper’s little shoulders shook and his hooved hands covered his mouth in a desperate attempt to keep quiet, Zoro just couldn’t say anything. The little doctor was trying so damn hard to not wake anyone up and he couldn’t just ruin that for him. He knew Chopper would end up blaming himself for making him worry on top of being this upset.

Zoro watched quietly as Chopper got out of bed and clumsily made his way out the door, waiting a few moments before he followed him. He wouldn’t ruin Chopper’s effort but he’d be damned if he didn’t keep an eye on him, ready to be there for him if he needed it.

Making sure he wasn’t making any noise, Zoro made his way out on the deck, straining his eyes and ears to find out where Chopper went. Iit didn’t take him long to locate where the muffled sobs were coming from and he carefully made his way upstairs to the gardens, scanning around the area to see where exactly Chopper was hiding. Finally, noticed the doctor’s tiny, hunched figure behind one of Nami’s tangerine trees and his heart sank. It hurt seeing one if his friends like this and Zoro wished he could just cut whatever it was that made Chopper cry but that was sadly impossible in this case—a pity, as Zoro knew he was a lot better at cutting things than comforting people. 

Fully set on trying anyway, Zoro headed towards the little tangerine grove. However, before he could make more than two steps forward, he was momentarily blinded as the door to the library swung open and Robin emerged from the inside, looking around with a mix of confusion and worry written all over her face.

Of course the archeologist was still awake. Zoro shook his head at Robin’s terrible sleeping habits; she really should learn to put her books down once in a while.

“Chopper! What’s wrong?” Robin asked in a voice full of alarm when she finally noticed him.

Chopper sniffed and even though his back was towards Zoro, the swordsman could perfectly imagine the broken, twisted face he made as he tried to stop his tears. “Lo-Lobin,” he finally got out, his voice breaking and barely understandable through his stuffed nose. “I had a dream, eberyone wazz hurt an’ I couldn’t do anythin’!”

“Oh, Chopper,” Robin said in a low, soothing voice. “It’s okay now. Come here.”

Zoro watched as Robin opened her arms, prompting Chopper to run to her for a hug and Zoro was immediately glad Robin got to their doctor before he could. He would never be able to sound so calming or offer a soft, motherly hug like that.

After a few moments of Chopper sobbing uncontrollably into Robin’s shoulder, the archeologist spoke up quietly once more, “Chopper, want to listen to a story? I was just reading a book of fairy tales that was really nice.”

Chopper didn’t say anything, only hummed an affirmative and nodded, making Robin smile gently as she picked him up and walked back inside the library with him securely wrapped in four of her arms.

Zoro wondered what he should do now. He _could_ leave Chopper in Robin’s care and go back to sleep but… He didn’t want to. And so, after a few moments of deliberation, he quietly made his way towards the library, sitting down with his back against the wall below one of the windows. There could never be enough support for a crying friend, right? Even if said friend had no idea you were there…

Letting his head fall back against the wall, Zoro listened as Robin started to read out lout. Her voice was low but clear as she slowly and effortlessly read the words written in her book, and even Zoro felt peace envelop him like a blanket; he could see himself falling asleep like this, too.

It was only a few minutes after that that Robin’s voice trailed off and there was silence for a moment, only interrupted by the ocean humming all around them. “Good night,” came a whisper then, and Zoro let go of a small, relieved sigh as he smiled. He was sure Chopper would be able to sleep soundly now, hopefully having much better, happier dreams than whatever terrible thing it was he saw before. It really was a good thing Robin was still awake.

But then Zoro nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone tap his shoulder and his hand automatically reached for Shuusui but he only grasped air. He knew he should have brought his swords, even if he only wanted to make sure Chopper was okay—

Oh.

Coming face to face with Robin’s detached hand that was now pointing at the library door, Zoro scowled. Of course the woman knew he was there. He felt like an idiot for overreacting but in his defense, they _were_ a ship full wanted people with large bounties and he _was_ a swordsman and Robin really should know better than sneak up on him like this. But even as he grumbled to himself, he complied with her silent request and got up, walking over the few steps to he door, careful to not make unnecessary noise; waking Chopper up was the last thing he wanted right now, after all.

“What is it?” Zoro asked in a voice barely above whisper as he took in the the sight in front of him. Robin was sitting on one of the pillows on the floor with Chopper sleeping soundly on her lap, one of her hands holding up the book, another ready to turn the pages, and the last one slowly stroking the fur on Chopper’s head. They looked so cozy and Zoro huffed lightly in amusement. It was such a sweet, comfortable sight and it contrasted starkly against Robin’s “Demon Child” moniker, while Chopper looked every bit the pet that the Marines thought he was. Zoro was sure neither of them would be happy if he said his thoughts out loud.

With a smile, Robin pointed at Chopper and requested in voice that was equally as soft as Zoro’s, “Could you please bring Chopper a blanket?”

As Zoro nodded and Robin mouthed a ‘thank you’, neither of them realized they had just started a new tradition. Whenever Chopper had a bad dream or just couldn’t sleep after this, he would head straight to the library where Robin would read to him while Zoro sat outside keeping silent watch. It was their little secret; just between the three of them.

But of course, it wouldn’t be the Thousand Sunny and her Straw Hat pirate crew if things didn’t eventually spiral out of control.

It started innocently one night about two weeks later. Zoro was once again sitting under the library window listening to Robin read from some book on the history of Alabasta when he heard someone coming up the stairs to the garden. Zoro clicked his tongue when the Ero-Cook came to view a moment later.

He looked so focused on bringing the tray with coffee and cake to 'Robin-chwan' that he didn't even notice Zoro sitting there, never mind Chopper who was trying to sleep inside, and Zoro couldn't have that. "Oi," he said when Sanji got close enough and the reaction was immediate.

Sanji's face went from love-struck to surprised to annoyed, all within half a second, as his eyes dropped to meet Zoro's. He frowned, opening his mouth to growl at the swordsman, "What are you doing here, Mari—"

"Shhhh," Zoro shushed him as soon as he spoke up, pressing a finger to his mouth for good measure.

Sanji blinked, shooting Zoro a questioning look, to which Zoro simply shook his head and pointed to the window without saying anything. The cook didn’t look convinced but he still went to peek inside the library.

Zoro could pinpoint the exact moment when Sanji realized what was going on when the cook’s shoulders sagged and his entire body relaxed, the fight leaving him completely. The two of them ended up sitting next to each other for the rest of the night, silently listening to Robin talk until Chopper fall asleep and the coffee went cold.

Zoro and Sanji took turns keeping watch after that; it was always either Zoro sitting under the window with two blankets for both Chopper and Robin, or Sanji with one large blanket and a coffee ready.

It became a secret between the four of them.

But then it _really_ went downhill when one night, while they were somewhere on their way between the Fishmen Island the the New World, it wasn’t Chopper who had a nightmare.

It was Luffy.

It didn’t really matter to Zoro who it was who couldn’t sleep at first. Whether it was Chopper terrified of the rest of the crew dying, Luffy with flashbacks from Marineford, or Sanji who got turned down by Nami for the 10,000th time—Zoro got kicked for saying that one out loud when they talked about it at one point—there was no difference at all and they would take care of any one of them all the same.

But Luffy was Luffy. It took only a few hours between Robin taking his hand and dragging him to the library and literally everyone on the ship knowing that Robin’s reading voice was heavenly _and_ there were free snacks available if you managed to stay awake long enough.

It was a quick and easy process after that.

* * *

In retrospect, Trafalgar Law thought he should have expected something like this. The Straw Hats were a small but very tight-knit pirate crew. Not to mention they were all crazy. He was prepared for a lot of things when he suggested this alliance and, after working with them on Punk Hazard, he was prepared for even more.

But nothing—and he meant _nothing—_ could have prepared him for the sight that awaited him after he had wandered into the Straw Hats’ library the one nervous, sleepless night before they had arrived in Dressrosa.

He had thought to find a deserted room full of books, or _maybe_ Nico-ya sitting in there reading quietly. Instead, what he got when he opened the door, was Nico-ya sitting in the centre of the room, fully focused on reading out loud from the large, ancient looking book in her hands while Tony-ya slept on her lap and Nami-ya leaned against her shoulder on her other side, obviously beginning to doze off.

As his eyes slid to the side, Law saw Bone-ya snoring shamelessly as he lay sprawled on the floor in front of Nami-ya while Robo-ya was tightening screws or whatever inside his hand. He noticed Zoro-ya was sitting with his back against the wall right next to the doorway where Law was still standing, frozen in place.

The captain of this… cuddle party looked right at him then, his neck twisting so far back that any normal person would die from the strain on their spine. But not Straw Hat-ya, no. The craziest person of them all was grinning back at Law and patting the floor next to him in an inviting manner.

Was he seriously asking him to sit down and _join_ this _…_ whatever it was? Judging by the rising frequency of his tapping, yes; he definitely was. 

Law didn’t have enough energy as a person to deal with this.

He sighed and, although still not entirely sure what was even going on, complied. Sitting down next to Straw Hat-ya, he asked in a voice quiet enough to not interrupt Nico-ya’s reading, “Why is everyone here?”

“It’s reading time. Robin reads us books to help everyone sleep,” Straw Hat-ya whispered back, his smile getting even wider if at all possible.

“Is this a regular thing?” Law wondered, looking around the room once more to take in how comfortable and seemingly used to this everyone present was.

Straw Hat-ya nodded in response. “Yeah, pretty much. We only take turns every day to keep watch and Sanji goes to the kitchen to make food after a while.”

Law shook his head. And these people called themselves pirates? It was a wonder they made it to the New World at all, never mind causing that big a storm wherever they went and _surviving._ Not only were they insane, they had _reading-slash-cuddle parties_ on a regular basis.

‘How absolutely _terrifying,'_ Law thought, and even his inner voice was dripping in sarcasm. This alliance might be the worst idea he had ever had. It would be a shock if they even made it to Dressrosa safely; succeeding in their mission would be nothing short of a miracle.

But then again, Straw Hat-ya had raided Enies Lobby, Impel Down _and_ Marineford—twice, in fact—and yet he was still alive and beaming at him like the idiot he was right now. Maybe it was little things like this that made those miracles happen. Or maybe it was just Straw Hat-ya’s stubbornness that was bending the very laws of nature.

He supposed it didn’t really matter in the end. Law was willing to bet on either of those options to get Joker to lose his footing and if that meant he had to succumb to one night of listening to someone read, he would take it.

But Law really wasn’t counting on waking up the next morning _still_ in the library, his head on a pillow that was _not_ there last he remembered, Straw Hat-ya snuggled into his stomach as if he were a teddy bear, and Tony-ya, for some ungodly reason, sleeping on his chest. There was also a blanket thrown over all three of them.

Law hadn’t been this mortified to wake up in the morning in _years._

But when be finally made his way to the kitchen for breakfast and Nico-ya, with that unreadable smile of hers, asked him how his sleep was, he couldn’t stop himself from admitting he hadn’t slept this well in a long while—since he last had the opportunity to nap with Bepo, possibly longer.

Maybe, just maybe, there was something to the things this crew of absolute madmen did. At the very least, he had to give it to the woman.

Her voice was almost magically soothing.


End file.
